PT-425 PROS & cons??

MikeOConnor · Apr 28, 2005

Re: PT-425 PROS & cons??

Clean footwells... what a concept! I kinda like 'em crunchy crusty m'self. I worried a while about the little hydraulic hoses, but they seem to coexist pretty well with the crud.

Sedgewood · Apr 29, 2005

Re: PT-425 PROS & cons??

 Clean footwells... what a concept! I kinda like 'em crunchy crusty m'self. I worried a while about the little hydraulic hoses, but they seem to coexist pretty well with the crud.


I'll second that. Mine have been cleaned out maybe 3 times in 600 hours.. The hoses seem ok but it can be a chore to get at the treadle grease fittings. My biggest concern is having the pan rot out from the perpetually wet crud. But then I worried about that with my Bush Hog and it had barely started to rot by the time I sold it 35 years later. If PT lasts 35 years I'll need a walker just to get to it /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Sedgewood

Charlie_Iliff · Apr 29, 2005

Re: PT-425 PROS & cons??

 If PT lasts 35 years I'll need a walker just to get to it 
I think the guys in Tazewell are working on a quick attach walker in their secret skunk works right now. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

FOURTEEN · Jun 15, 2005

Re: PT-425 PROS & cons??

 If anyone hasn't noticed, the top of the lifting arms is a handy place to carry a half-barrel. Have the arms about level, and the toggle tipped forward. The barrel can be steadied with a free hand, or bungied into place.

When going out to plant a new shrub with the Potato Digger Bar, I carry a half-barrel of mulch with me. Half the mulch is spread on the ground to be stirred into the soil with the Potato Digger Bar, and the other half to mulch the surface around the new plant.

FOURTEEN · Jul 7, 2005

Re: PT-425 PROS & cons??

 Stump Grinder Shield

Problem: My OEM Stump Grinder threw the chips at the front of the PT-425 and me!! It was unbearable and unusable!! I reversed the blade on the Stump Grinder to throw the chips away from us, but then, since chips were thrown in a wide forward shower, cleanup often took longer than the grinding!!

I tried several materials for a shield, but none were satisfactory. If it was stiff like plywood, it would break. If it was flexible, it could get back into the blade. A separate shield was too slow, and inconvenient, to use.

Solution: Traveling down the highway I spotted a tire tread about 9" wide by 7' long lying on the shoulder of the road from a truck that had a blow out and lost it.

Procedure: I cut and trimmed a piece 4' long with my 4-1/2" side grinder, (needed to cut the steel belts). Drilled two 3/8" holes, 6" apart, through the OEM steel shield. Doubled back the tire strip with the tread on the outside, and drilled two 1/2" holes, 6" apart, through the doubled strip to match those in the steel shield. Mounted the tire strip to the top of the steel shield with 5/16" nuts, bolts, and fender washers. Near the outward end of the tire strip, about 10" from the previous hole, I drilled a 1/2" hole through the doubled tire strip and installed a 5/16" nut, bolt, and fender washers to stiffen the new shield.

Result: The tire strip shield is flexible enough to move and conform to the ground to catch the chips, stiff enough to stay out of the blade, and tough enough to survive the abuse!
Cheap, and works great!!

MossRoad · Jul 7, 2005

Re: PT-425 PROS & cons??

Very nice!

marrt · Jul 7, 2005

Re: PT-425 PROS & cons??

14, have you started painting parts of your machine Gold now? Looks like the QA is Gold. I may know where you can get a nice set of reverse mounted chrome rims. They even have the thingy in the middle that keeps turning when you stop. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

FOURTEEN · Dec 12, 2005

Re: PT-425 PROS & cons??

 240 hours with reversed wheels and still riding sweet and safe with no ill effects!!!

stray · Dec 12, 2005

Re: PT-425 PROS & cons??

Hi 14, good to here from you. Thought you had expired or something. Long time no see!!! Be sure and check for stress cracks in that frame and grind a deep grove in them before welding. LOL

All in jest but you got to admit the one earlier about the 3-in-1 oil can was a good one.

Barryh · Dec 12, 2005

Re: PT-425 PROS & cons??

Fourteen,

I am considering doing the same thing to my PT. When coming out of my garage it is at a steep angle. I have to drive out sideways to miss the SUV'S it feels a little tipsy. I am thinking of ice when plowing if I were to start to slide sideways and it came to a sudden stop it might go over. Other places like my neighbors driveway go straight down. I would feel better knowing I had the extra stance. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif